Evolution

Evolution

The process by which organisms change over time, leading to the diversity of life on Earth.

Natural Selection

The process by which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

Punctuated Equilibrium

An evolutionary theory proposing that species experience long periods of stability interrupted by brief periods of rapid change.

Neo-Darwinism

An updated version of Darwin's theory of evolution that incorporates genetic principles into the understanding of evolution.

Homologies

Similar characteristics in related organisms derived from common ancestors.

Cladogenesis

The process by which a species splits into two distinct species.

Microevolution

Small evolutionary changes occurring within a population or species over time.

Macroevolution

Large-scale evolutionary changes that occur over long periods, including the origin of new species.

Transitional Forms

Fossils or organisms that show intermediate states between an ancestral form and its descendants.

Inheritance of Acquired Characteristics

Lamarck's theory that organisms can pass on characteristics they acquired during their lifetime to their offspring.

Survival of the Fittest

A phrase that describes natural selection, where only the organisms best suited to their environment survive.

Genome Dynamism

The concept that genomes are not static but can change and adapt due to various genetic mechanisms.

Fossil Record

Historical evidence preserved in rocks, illustrating the history and evolution of life on Earth.

Common Descent

The theory that all living organisms share a common ancestor.

Artificial Selection

The process by which humans selectively breed animals or plants for specific traits.

Stasis

A period in which an organism experiences little or no evolutionary change.